GNHQ please make it clear that these forums are public!

Have been following this thread with interest, I as with others are one of the original posters who joined gransnet many yrs ago and a right laugh we used to have.

I became aware purely by accident that if you googled "Gransnet" you would come up with all sorts of topic...also if you added your name, your actual topic would come up.

But I honestly didn't think it would be plastered all over FB/TWT etc...

I have choose not to go on FB for lots of reasons.

I as others, have poured my heart out here especially when my dh died (whooops! yes too much info but then the nation will already know that by now) because Its been on GN.

Hence I now realise my DDs have prob read everything I have ever wrote (well maybe not everything)

I'm pretty sure I have never reallay said anything detrimental that they may not already know, as we are pretty open about things.

I started to post something yesterday , then I deleted it as too much information in it..even though I was just describing an event about cycling!

No doubt I will still lurk on GN and post the odd comment, but will now "proof" read my posts and omit certain areas.

I suppose we all became virtual friends (some real) and we thought we were all in a little comforting circle that we all had privileged to (almost like private club)

The only thing I could suggest is a "Members only club" where there was a small charge, but I suppose even then, if the charge was that small, people could join just to be nosey! I mean people other than Gnettters.

Its does seemed to have cast' a dark shadow over GN the last few days, the posts have become some what curtailed, I'm sure you would agree.

Will watch and learn! (mums the word)

And that's what worries me merlot

At least on here it's a level playing field. 'Disgusted of Planet Tharg' has to think up a username and join to be able to comment but facebook is a whole different ball game. The 'share' facility means our comments could end up God knows where.

I am getting more disturbed by this, I have never been on FB and had no idea this was happening.
I will be keeping my problems to myself I think apart from PMing some very supportive "friends".
What a shame for us all.

I would really miss Gransnet but am seriously thinking about giving it all up . Guilty of naivety . I hate everything FB stands for and hate the thought of being there without my knowledge or intention . I really thought that GN was a forum open to all but not copied and pasted onto other social media sites . How awful .

Are we just very naive?
Yes, I know it should have a trema which has an accent too.

Fishpie

Please be aware that although you can get HQ to delete a thread,it's still on t'internet...all anyone has to do is google the username. Try it. Scary.

I've just read a thread about meeting up in Scotland. Wonder if any FBookers will turn up?

Wow, I've just looked on GN FB, and some days they put 4 or 5 of our posts on there. They seem to pick all the relationship problem posts, including the inside out underpants one!

I am on FB, but never looked at GN before. I'm shocked, concerned and angry. I will think very carefully before I post in future...... Wonder if this thread will appear there?

Oops apologies meant Grannyknot

My point being that if gransnetters on here jumped on me and a ding-dong discussion ensued, that would just be part and parcel of gransnet life but to lift a post and put it elsewhere where it can be accessed by people outside the gransnet 'family' is below the belt.

I think this has really dampened my enjoyment of Gransnet. I dislike FB and wouldn't want my posts to be used/seen there and not being a member I would never know until maybe it was too late. Such a shame. But very grateful to Gannyknot for bringing this to my attention.

I notice my OP about the Family Showdown cooking thingy is now on facebook.

I'm not particularly bothered because it's harmless but.......what if I'd put something like, 'I notice Nadiya Hussein has ditched the rather drab hijab for far more flattering turbans to compliment her frequent wardrobe changes.'

Some people might take offence at that and I could end up in the DM

Just saying.

I notice wording is often changed to make it more understandable to facebook peeps.

DH for instance becomes 'my husband,' natch, so why don't we just say, my husband/daughter/son etc., on here?

Like others I will now be reluctant to post anything other than comments on TV programmes or gardening etc.

Do you know what? I come and go on this site, sometimes going AWOL for weeks and weeks, then I pop in again to lurk and eventually start posting again. I think I've had enough now. Why on earth do we put ourselves in this position? Stupid? Naive? Just plain forgetful? It's all too easy to get carried away on the keyboard - and without the edit button that so many of us keep on asking for, once we hit that 'post message' it's there forever, as if cast in stone.
Well I'm not playing anymore.

GNHQ never take any notice of our comments, they just do what they want.

I cannot chat about my grandchildren anymore and they are the centre of my world , but two are on Facebook , and my daughter .

Well, I was thinking there seems to be another deafening silence from GNHQ, but I guess that quote from the terms and conditions will do instead.
Thanks, Jalima1108

By submitting user content to us, simultaneously with such posting you automatically grant to us a worldwide, fully-paid, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, fully sublicensable, and transferable right and license to use, record, sell, lease, reproduce, distribute, create derivative works based upon (including, without limitation, translations), publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, publish and otherwise exploit the user content (in whole or in part) as Gransnet, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. We may exercise this grant in any format, media or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any copyright that may exist in such user content.
www.gransnet.com/info/terms-of-use

On the face of it, there is a confidentiality problem here as many more people look at Facebook than at Gransnet. But most people who find Gransnet on Facebook and look at the links are likely to be grandparents and potential Gransnet members anyway.

However, people do reveal their identity through what they write and what they call themselves, even when they are being discreet - not to everyone, but to a few people they may actually never have met. As an example, DW and I worked out exactly who one GN regular was even though we had never actually set eyes on her/him. And obviously, exposure via Facebook increases the risk of this happening.

So, be very, very careful.......

I am just searching the site to try to find out the terms and conditions of posting as I'm sure I read ages ago that all posts belong to Gransnet and can be used for whatever purpose, ie media articles etc.
However, perhaps I was mistaken as I can't find it now.

QUESTION for GNHQ --- why are gransnet posters not allowed to change their username as easily as mumsnet users?

I was just going to post a supportive comment to someone where I was going to include my own experience but then realised the information may go to FB so I didn't post. This is so sad that people who need help are going to go without support because of what you are doing GNHQ

And gillybob appears to be guilty of identity theft as she has described me exactly.

She forgot to include my hobby of skydiving.